Impressions-
Other than the AI voice acting and surprisingly simple plot/lore (the voice acting issue is likely to be replaced according to the devs), this game already delivers far above what many EA outings do. The shooting is surprisingly punchy and engaging as the difficulty ramps up, even encouraging the use of looted items such as AOE stat boosters or temporary heavy weapons. The ship combat is simple yet fun when combined with the management of the hull. Even simply looting an abandoned chunk of an outpost is super enjoyable due to the great visuals and animations. I can only see the value of purchasing this game going up from here unless something goes horribly wrong. A big factor in my enjoyment is that there is already ample assistance for solo players through a robotic companion and a smaller ship unlocked later on.

Graphics-
Gorgeous game already, especially for the spacefaring feel it goes for. Lots of small details wherever it makes sense, and the ships you command genuinely feel lived in. Models for the guns and other items look well-realized which helps sell the technical aspects of navigating a vast cold void.

Co-op/Online-
Voice chat is planned, but the game does have text chat and a functional ping system that gets the job done. I'd compare this aspect to Deep Rock Galactic or Helldivers 2 where you can get by with a competent team as long as they ping important things. As I said earlier, most of my time so far has been spent solo, but playing with randoms in the server browser is also fun. Would definitely appreciate a spectator mode since you can only join mid-game after each jump. For now, you just wait at a loading screen which makes joining a lobby that is in the hangar much more appealing to me.

Variety-
Roughly 10 hours in, I have started to see some set pieces repeating, especially on-foot. This isn't a big issue for me, as I have only unlocked about 3 regions on the galaxy map, but it's worth noting. There will probably be more added over time, though.

Stability-
This may be one of the most consistently functional games I've played in regards to running around a giant moving vehicle, which is even more impressive considering all the gravity shenanigans. Any small nitpicks can easily be ignored and may be ironed out. The graphics settings could use more options, though. For now, the biggest changes you can make are to the anti-aliasing/upscaling and texture resolution. It runs pretty well, but it would be a great game to have relatively playable on the Steam Deck for more players. It dips on my ROG Ally X occasionally but is generally playable at ~30 FPS, so that seems to be the bare minimum for handheld performance in my opinion.

Conclusion-
I am very fond of games that involve exploring space, having played tons of Elite Dangerous and No Man's Sky in the past, but I think even someone indifferent to that style could really get a lot out of this game already. Every aspect of the gameplay (although arguably simple) stands on its own compared to other crew-oriented space games like Pulsar, making it easy to pick up and recommend to most people. Especially if you love space. If you're that kind of person, this might be the one.

If you take away anything from this review, it should be that in the sense of being an evolution on Severed Steel, this goes above that game on almost every front. It feels great, offers tons of freedom, and has many improvements over that previous game (both are good and distinct though, I highly recommend Severed Steel as well).

To list some improvements, the game has more visual variety (distinct colors, biomes, rolling hills, ect), improved guns and animations, insane speed, and so on. There is less of an emphasis on slow motion but the variety of weapons and generous aim assist (if you are on controller, making it pretty Steam Deck friendly). I was initially concerned that with so many mechanics and ideas, the game may feel unfocused or bloated, but it seems to know what it wants to do surprisingly well. It's just great, I don't really have any complaints, even after rolling credits. This has earned a spot on my favorites tab, along with the other games I know I can come back to when I don't know what to play.

The movement takes a bit of getting used to, but when you get the muscle memory down, chances are you will be having a blast zooming through levels. Going for the collectibles and doing the mini side missions can hinder the enjoyable flow of speed, but they are optional unless you want to unlock all of the short bonus levels. With games like this, Pseudoregalia, and Demon Turf showing up, I am happy to see 3D platformers with in-depth movement making somewhat of a comeback for the time being.

If you take away anything from this review, it should be that there is nothing else quite like this game and there probably never will be. For that reason, it is my favorite game of all time.

Many people will tell you to go into this game blind, and I agree, but I'll at least try and explain the bare minimum. It's an open world puzzle game where you make progress with knowledge rather than flat upgrades, to put it simply. The only thing of importance that permanently saves beyond the tutorial is a computer log on your ship with information you have found. This makes it very open-ended, as you can always find a lead if you look hard enough given you haven't discovered everything. You will almost definitely be stumped or lost at some point, but that's part of the fun (in my opinion). If you enjoy things like Metroid, Hollow Knight, or most other exploration-oriented games, definitely give this a shot.

There is one big negative that is by virtue of this game being information-oriented, though. There are very few reasons to play it after beating it and the DLC. However, watching how other people tackle the open-ended exploration can be fun if you want to try and relive the experience of learning everything (if you are that kind of person).

TLDR: This may not look like it, but this is a very unique game worth at least trying. It has a surprising emphasis on knowledge, so it's mostly a one-and-done if you don't plan on sharing the experience with others.

I've been into the mecha genre and its variants for the better part of 4 years now. I have no idea why I haven't paid attention to this franchise until the gameplay trailer released, but I'm glad I did. I played most of the previous games to get an idea of the series (you don't have to since most of them are technically reboots, but a lot of them bring something unique to the table). I enjoyed most of them, and this is easily one of the most complete in terms of content. The new endings bring great twists to the in-game story, which I surprisingly enjoyed a lot for the first time in the series. The gameplay is very unique, even compared to the previous games, thanks to a new lock-on system. I'd recommend also trying at least one of the PS1/PS2 games, as they play very differently but feel like games that could come out today, given more polish.

TLDR: Try this game if you want something that takes well-worn concepts and adds its own twists. I won't waste your time going over all of it, but you won't lose that much from giving it a shot.

Everyone seems to have touched on the actual game, but I want to recommend this game for yet another reason: This is one of those games you can kind of just play forever if you really wanted to. If you're burnt out on games and want something that you can jump back into time and time again, this is one of the best choices. Plus, it's co-op, so that's worth some points.